JPH065548B

PURPOSE:To easily eliminate the noises caused by a digital process and to attain a correct reading operation even with an inferior bar code, etc., by sampling the analog signal obtained from the bar code and converting the sampled signal into a digital signal of a multilevel corresponding to the peak level of the sampled analog signal wave. CONSTITUTION:The optical signal obtained from the reflected light of a bar code 3 is converted into an analog signal by a photoelectric conversion part 4. Then the analog signal is sampled by an A/D conversion part 10 and converted into a digital signal of a multilevel corresponding to the peak level of the sampled analog signal wave. Then the digital signal is stored in a memory 13. The digital signal stored in the memory 13 is binary coded after elimination of noises and then converted into a pulse signal. As a result, the correct reading is attained even with a bar code label printed by a dot printer, etc., a soiled bar code label, a bar code label containing many voids, spots, etc.